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Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager of Interfarm Ltd., explains that according to the HGCA information sheet on Insects and Mites in Stored Grain and Grain Stores, there over fifty different species which can infest grain stores.  “Even a single insect in a 1kg sample can represent a serious infestation.  The pests and mites can be harboured in the fabric of empty stores and are ready and waiting to infest new parcels of grain when placed into store after harvest.  Grain pests lodge in the smallest of places - cracks, crevices, airways, ducts, intake pits and elevators. All these areas need thorough cleaning of all residual material, debris and dust. Then an appropriate insecticide and acaricide such as Silico-Sec should be applied to the fabric of the store, well in time before harvest.”

Dr. Stormonth explains that there are now only a few grain store treatments from which to choose. If growers are looking for a proven non-chemical treatment with no resistance issues that controls all pests and mites in conventional and organic systems, they should consider the biophysical product Silico-Sec, which is derived from diatomaceous earth.

“Consisting of highly micronised specific amorphous silica (silicon dioxide), Silico-Sec abrades and damages the cuticles of insects and mites, removing the water-proofing waxes, resulting in desiccation and death of the pests. As it is a biophysical product, it controls any exo-skeletal pest, including grain weevils, saw-toothed grain beetles, red-rust flour beetles, cosmopolitan food mites and flour mites. Importantly the abrading mechanism of action means that there are no resistance issues.”

“Silico-Sec is a natural, non-toxic alternative to OP treatments which can be used in both conventional and organic farming systems. It has recently been approved for use under the Organic Farmers and Growers Approved Inputs Scheme,” adds David.

Using a specially developed Venturi Applicator, Silico-Sec is applied as a dry dust over the entire fabric of the store, including walls, floors, equipment, ventilation ducts, intake pits, elevators, rafters, corners and crevices.  “Thorough and even coverage of the whole fabric and structure of the empty grain store is essential in order to get the best results,” he advises.

Silico-Sec contains up to 96% micronized inert silicon dioxide as a high specification food grade powder derived from diatomaceous earth by a special process. It can be used as a store fabric treatment as well as on stored cereals and oilseed rape for the control and prevention of invertebrate pests such as mites, weevils and beetles, as part of an integrated storage management strategy. For milling wheat, growers should check with their grain merchant. There are now very few products for use on oilseed rape and Silico-Sec is an ideal product for this purpose.

To treat the fabric of the store, Silico-Sec is applied up to 4 weeks before stores are filled, as a dry dust at a rate of 10gms per square metre. It has both protectant and curative activity. It is packed in 15-kg bags and is available exclusively from Interfarm distributors.